A/N Syg, About Xander using CPR on Buffy, you're right the timing was very problematic and even with Slayer healing doesn't make a lot of sense. In one of my earlier stories, the Forgotten Mutants, I speculated that Xander might be able to bend probabilities and that might account for it. But I didn't go as far as you did in the speculating, but now you've got plot bunnies jumping around in my head again. You have a tendency to do that. 😄

Nice catch about Xena being a god killer and Glory. I will confirm that Glory and the Key, but not Dawn, will be a part of this story. I might as well confirm that I've previously confirmed that the canon Dawn will not be in the story, but the Key idea will. Eventually, we're a long way from there.

The idea of Xander being a Host or the Slayer being a Host for something are very interesting ideas and I must add them to my story list and start researching exactly what Xander could be a Host for. Something that attracts demon females would be a good guess and I've read one story where it was speculated that the Slayer is a Host to a parasite. Interesting plot bunnies demanding attention.

Mind back on current story now.😜

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One moment Xena was trying to feel happy for her best friend Gabrielle and the strange baby she'd given birth to after only a couple of days of gestation and the next...she was somewhere else. Somewhere very strange and different. As a small monster charged her she reached for her sword only to hesitate as she realized it wasn't her hand.

'Well, duh, it's my hand!' A voice in her? head said. 'And that was a little kid just a minute ago!' Xena had never been so glad she's hesitated, as she might have killed a child of she hadn't.

'Where am I?' She silently asked the voice.

'Sunnydale, California in the United States of America, home of the Hellmouth.' Information that wasn't remotely helpful as Xena had no idea what any of it meant.

'Please explain.' She instructed as she knocked the child turned monster out.

'Sunnydale, a city in the state of California in the country called the United States. Fifty states that form a union. Diana would be so proud of me that I remembered that.'

'Who's Diana?' Xena asked, as she knocked out another child sized monster.

'My Guardian, among other things. I'm Faith, by the way, and you're in my body and I'd like to know why! Isn't being bodyjacked once already enough for a lifetime?!'

'You've been possessed before?'

'Yeah, by an animal spirit. Diana managed to kick it out. You know anything about Magic?'

'I'm familiar with it, but I rarely use it. Do you believe it has caused this?'

'I don't see what else it could be, which means those kids are still kids, so please be very careful with them.'

'I have no wish to harm children, if you knew me, you'd know that.'

'I do know you. You're Xena, the Warrior Princess and I'd really love to pick your brain and learn all your fighting techniques but I can't read your mind.'

'How do you know who I am?'

'I dressed as you for Halloween.' Faith admitted. 'It's a holiday and I admire you. You're really trying to be a better person and helping people. It's my job to help people.'

'Why is it your job?'

'I:m the Slayer. Does that mean anything to you?' Faith asked hopefully.

'No, should it?'

'I was hoping you were one too. It would explain what you can do.'

'What is a Slayer and what does a Slayer do?'

'I'm a mystical warrior. I was chosen to fight demons, specifically what you would call a bacchae. And I'm supposed to be guarding the Hellmouth, which is a opening that leads to Hell. Or a Hell.'

'I'm familiar with bacchae, I was nearly one and I'm familiar with openings to the Underworld. Why do you say supposed to be?'

'I'm pregnant. Be very careful with my body while you're driving it. I may never get to see my baby grow up because I'll probably die fighting long before then, but I'm going to damn well makes sure she gets born!'

'I understand, I will be careful.'

'No trying to convince me I'll get to see her grow up? My friends keep trying to convince me I will see her grow up. But I see death in my dreams, the deaths of the Slayers that came before me. I'm afraid.'

'How old are you?' Xena questioned, as she carried the children she'd knocked out over to a home, the front door was standing open and she set the children down on the floor, hoping they'd be safe until she could figure out how this happened and stop it.

'Sixteen, I'll be seventeen after my baby is born. And don't start on me about being young! I did mention I'd been possessed before, right? That's when I got pregnant. The father was also possessed, neither of us were thinking right. But he's determined to help us and be a good father, even if he's just a kid himself!'

'You care about him.'

'He's my friend. The first friend I ever really had. Yes, I care about him.'

'As for me convincing you that you will get to see your baby grow up. I fight death every day and I deliver death as well. Sooner or later, it will catch up to you. But as long as you fight death, you will live. Live as much as possible. Right now we need to figure out what's going on and how to stop it. Any suggestions on how to do that?'

'We need to find my friends. Together we can do anything.'

'Just like me and my friends.'